Devon & Cornwall Police launch summer campaign to reduce demand on 101
The force is expecting to take 20,000 calls a week, calling it 'a summer like we haven't seen for many years'
Devon & Cornwall Police are expecting more than 20,000 calls a week this summer.
The force is launching a campaign to help cut demand on its 101 number, ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend.
'Whichever way you choose to contact us, #ItsPersonal' is aiming to educate locals about the different ways to contact officers.
It will explain that every contact received about a policing issue is answered by a member of the team, whether online or by phone.
Commander for Contact and Command Resolution, Chief Superintendent Ian Drummond-Smith said: "Over the last few years, we have been encouraging people to go online and this has been very successful with many people contacting us through our online crime reporting options.
"However, for many people, they think going online to report a crime or incident will just be an automated process, but it is actually the same contact centre staff who manage and respond to our online contact options as answer our non-emergency telephone number. So, the service they receive is just as personal whether it be through our online contact option or by phone.
"We are expecting to see an increase in people contacting the police over the next week, as there will be more people visiting and staying in Devon and Cornwall due to the public and school holiday and many deciding to stay in the UK for their holiday this year.
"We would therefore ask anyone needing to contact us, if it’s not an emergency, to use one of the online contact options - WebChat, Report Crime Online and Email 101. By choosing to use one of these options your enquiry will be answered by a member of the team and you will be helping to keep the phone lines free for people without internet access".
Chief Superintendent Ian Drummond-Smith
How can I contact Devon & Cornwall Police?
Launching their #ItsPersonal campaign, Devon & Cornwall Police say:
In an emergency, when life is threatened, people are injured, offenders are nearby or immediate action is required, always dial 999.
Anyone wishing to contact us with non-emergency queries or reports can easily access our online methods - WebChat, Report Crime Online and Email 101.
WebChat - dc.police.uk/webchat
WebChat allows you to talk online directly with our contact centres - just the same as calling us. WebChat is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be used to ask questions, report non-urgent crime, and receive updates on existing crime.
Report Crime Online - dc.police.uk/reportcrime
Report Crime Online is an easy way to report information to us or report an incident or crime. Simply record all the details on the online form then submit it via our website. Our contact centre staff will receive the form, record the crime, and provide you with a crime reference number.
Email 101 - 101@dc.police.uk
Email 101 to ask us a question, tell us something or report non-urgent crime. Our email service is monitored daily, and our contact centre staff will respond as soon as possible.
Alternatively, our contact centre staff are available to answer your calls day or night should you still wish to call. We would recommend before calling the 101 non-emergency number, you visit our website to check the current waiting times – dc.police.uk/contact
AskNED - dc.police.uk/AskNED
Devon & Cornwall Police also have the non-emergency directory - AskNED which helps answer the most-commonly asked questions. The online service is simple, easy to use and provides you with the information you need. AskNED can be used to ask questions, check who to contact and find out who can help.
You can find all the information you need to contact Devon & Cornwall Police here.